Manually operated gas controllers



June 13, 1961 o. THOMAS MANUALLY OPERATED @As CONTROLLERS 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed Dec. 8. 1959 e lllll' Si! Q INVEN TOR.

Illl n June 13, 1961 o. THQMAS 2,988,098

MANUALLY OPERATED GAS CONTROLLERS Filed DGO. 8, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Figi;

IN V EN TOR.`

Patented .lune 13, 1961 2 983 098 MANUALLY GPERTEI) GAS CONTROLLERS @ttorllhomas, 53 Wilhelmstr-asse, Remscheid, Germany, assigner to .l oh.Vaillant IQG., Remscheid, Germany Filed Dec. 8, 1959, Ser. No. 858,13710 Claims. (Cl. 137-66) The invention relates to a manually operated gascontroller, especially for gas water-heaters with a thermoelectricignition safety device. In such gas controllers, it is known that, bymeans of a handle, a main gas valve, which is connected with thearmature of a thermoelectrically energized magnet and is loaded by aclosing spring, is brought into the open position and the armature ispressed to the poles of the electromagnet. For reasons of safety, anauxiliary valve is temporarily closed in the known manner. With theelectromagnet energized, the magnet armature is held fast and theclosing member, connected therewith, of the main gas valve remains inthe open position with the closing spring stretched.

In such known gas controllers with a thermoelectric ignition safetydevice, there is the diiculty that the gas supply cannot be shut oi atwill directly. ln that case, either an additional separate shut-oilmember has to be provided or the pilot llame has to be extinguished andit is necessary to wait until, after the thermo-element has cooled, themagnet releases the armature; this takes a considerable time (about 21/2minutes). During this cooling time of the thermoelectric safety device,the path of the gas can, in addition, in the case of the known gascontrollers, be opened again shortly after closure has been effected,even when the pilot flame has been extinguished.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a manually operablegas controller whereby the main gas supply valve may be manually closedduring operation even while the thermoelectric ignition safety device isstill in the operating position.

It is a further object to provide a gas controller of the type describedwherein, once the main gas valve has been manually closed during normaloperation, cannot be so reopened until the pilot light has beenextinguished and the thermoelectric ignition safety device has returnedto the non-operating position.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description and drawings in which:

FIG. l is a vertical axial cross section of the gas controller apparatusaccording to the present invention showing the main gas valve in closedposition, and the thermoelectric safety device in non-operatingposition.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 showing the main gas valve inopen position and the thermoelectric safety device in normal operatingposition.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 showing the main gas valveclosed, but the thermoelectric safety device still in operatingposition.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the present apparatus showing the manualcontrol in the position in which the main gas valve and thermoelectricdevice are coupled together.

FIG. 4a is a cross-sectional view of the valve coupling member lockingdevice and valve in locked position, resulting when the manual controlis in a position shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the manual control in a position where themain gas valve is released by the coupling member of the thermoelectricsafety device; and

FIG. 5a is a cross-sectional view of the gas valve coupling member andmain gas valve in the position where the valve is released, resultingwhen the manual control is in the position shown in FIG. 5.

`According to the invention, the disadvantages of the usual ignitionsafety device are obviated by reason of the fact that a taken-alongcoupling or valve coupling member, which is releasable by manualoperation, is provided between the closing member or valve head of themain gas valve and the armature of the magnet, and is arranged in such amanner that the opening mechanism, which is operated by the handle, actson the coupling member which is associated with the armature of themagnet. It is then possible, by releasing the coupling, to close themain gas valve even when the armature is still retained at the magnet.-In addition, the main gas valve can again be brought into the openposition only when the coupling has again been restored and the armatureof the magnet has therefore again dropped.

Arranged in the housing 1 of the gas controller, which is provided withan inlet pipe 2 and anoutlet pipe 3, are two valve seats 4 and 5. Aconnecting pipe 6 for an ignition gas pipe is provided between the valveseats 4 and S.

A handle 8, which is connected with a pressing plunger 7, is guidedaxially in a neck 9 of the housing 1 and is pressed outwards by a spring10. The handle 8 has an extension 8 which is giided in an axial slot 9in the neck 9, so that the handle 8 can be pressed in axially only whenit is at a definite position, namely the position of ignition. Thepressing plunger 7, which is introduced sealingly into the housing 1through an annular packing 7, carries, in its front end, a guiding key11 against which is pressed, by a spring 13, a valve head l2 whichcooperates with the valve seat 4. The guiding key 11 is guided axiallyin a slot 14 in the neck extension or hollow valve stem 14 associatedwith a valve head 15 which cooperates with the valve seat 5. The valvehead 1S is loaded by a closing spring 16.

Guided axially in a partition 1 of the housing 1 is a square armaturepin 17 which carries, on the other side of the partition 1', a magnetarmature 18. Mounted on the armature pin 17 is a disc 19 which is loadedwith a spring 20. The end of the armature pin 17 is provided with aattened portion 21 and forms a hook-shaped catch 22. This end of thearmature pin 17 projects into a neck extension 23 of the valve head 15.A transverse slot 24 is provided in the neck extension 231 for thepurpose of receiving a hairpin-like spreading spring 25. One arm 25 ofthe spreading spring 25 serves as a radially resilient stop for thecatch 22. A push rod 27, which is guided through an annular packing 26,is passed through the valve head 15 and, on the one hand, rests on theend of the armature pin 17 while, on the other hand,l it (27) projectsinto the neck extension 14.

The armature 18 belongs to an electromagnet 28 which is energized by athermal current in the known manner. The thermal current is supplied bya thermoelement which is heated by the pilot flame.

It the handle S is pushed in when it is in the igniting position, thevalve 4/ 12, which acts as an auxiliary valve, closes, while thearmature pin 17 is displaced to such an extent by the pressing plunger 7and the push rod 27 that the armature 18 rests on the poles of themagnet 2F. The catch 22 drives the valve head 15, in opposition to theaction of the closing spring 16, into the open position. Gas can nowreach the ignition burner through the inlet pipe 2, the opened main gasvalve 5/15 and the ignition gas pipe connected at 6. When the pilotflame is burning, the now energized magnet 28 retains the armature 18,so that, on releasing the handle 8, the auxiliary valve 4/12 also againbeing opened, the main gas path to the pipe 3 becomes free (FIG. 2). Themain gas valve 5/ 15 closes automatically when, after extinction of thepilot flame and cooling of the thermoelement, the armature 18 isreleased from the magnet 2S.

In order to render possible a voluntary closing of the gaseosa main gasvalve S/15 when the pilot llame is burning, the handle S can be broughtinto the closing position by rotating it through 90, as represented inFIG. 5. On this rotation of the handle 8, the valve head 1S rotates withthe handle by virtue of the guiding key 11/ 14, so that, as representedin FIG. 5a, the spring arm 25 is deflected and the catch 22 is released.It is thus possible, by rotating the handle 8 and the valve head 15, todetach the coupling between the armature pin 17 and the valve head 15,so that the latter, under the iuiiuence of the closing spring Ilo,immediately passes into the closing position, although the armature 13is still retained by the magnet 2S (FIG. 3). lf, shortly after thisdisconnecting operation, while the thermoelement has not yet cooleddown, i.e. the magnet 2S is still energized, the handle 8 is againpushed into the ignition position, the main gas valve S/ 15 cannot opensince the coupling 22/25' has not yet again been made. It is only whenthe armature i18 has been released from the magnet 28 and the spring 20has brought the armature pin 17 back, so that the catch 22 again snapsin behind the arm 25 of the spreading spring 25, that the main gas valve5/15 can be opened again in the manner described.

Invention is claimed as follows:

l. A manually operable gas controller for gas heaters comprising ahousing having an inlet and an outlet and a flow passage connectedtherebetween, a main gas valve assembly comprised of a valve seat and amovable valve member spring-loaded toward closed position positioned inthe ow passage between the inlet and the outlet, a thermoelectric safetydevice including an electromagnet and an armature mounted in saidhousing, a -valve coupling means aliixed at one end to said armature andbeing adapted at its other end to engage said valve member, said valvemember having retaining means to operatively engage said valve couplingmeans when said valve member is in one rotative position and to releasesaid valve coupling means when said valve member is in a diterentrotative position, manual valve operating means mounted in said housingmovable with respect thereto, means for transmitting movement of saidmanual means to said valve coupling means, and manual means for rotatingsaid valve member, whereby movement of said manual means causes saidvalve coupling means to open said valve member when said valve couplingmeans is retained in `coupled relation with said valve member and manualrotation of said valve member causes said valve member to be releasedfrom said valve coupling means and permits it to move to the closedposition.

y 2. A manually operable gas controller for gas heaters comprising ahousing having an inlet and an outlet and a flow passage connectedtherebetween, a main gas valve assembly comprised of a valve seat and amovable valve member spring-loaded toward closed position positioned inthe flow passage between the inlet and the outlet, a ther moelectricsafety device including an electromagnet and an armature mounted in saidhousing, a valve coupling means aiiixed at one end to said armature andbeing adapted at its other end to engage said valve member, said valvecoupling means being movable axially but tixed'rotatively with respectto said housing, said valve member having retaining means to engage saidvalve coupling means when said valve member is in one rotative positionand to release said valve coupling means when said valve member is in adiiierent rotative position, manual valve operating means including aplunger mounted in said housing, means for transmitting axial movementof said plunger to said valve coupling means, and means for transmittingrotational movement of said plunger to said valve member, whereby inwardaxial movement of said manual means causes said valve coupling means toopen said valve when said valve coupling means is retained `in coupledrelation with said valve member and rotational movement of said manualmeans causes said valve member to be released from said valve couplingmeans and permitsrit to move to the closed position.

3. A manually operable gas controller for gas heaters comprising ahousing having an inlet and an outlet and a iiow passage connectedtherebetween, a main gas valve assembly comprised of a valve seat and amovable valve member including a valve head and a tubular Valve stemhaving an axial channel spring-loaded toward closed position positionedin the flow passage between the inlet and the outlet, a thermoelectricsafety device including an electromagnet and an armature mounted in saidhousing, a valve coupling means aixed at one end to said armature andbeing adapted at its other end to engage said valve member, said valvecoupling means being movable axially but fixed rotatively with respectto said housing, said valve member having retaining means to engage saidvalve coupling means when said valve member is in one rotative positionand to release said valve coupling means when said valve member is in adifferent rotative position, manual valve operating means including aplunger mounted in said housing, said plunger being arranged to slideaxially in the channel of said tubular valve stem, means fortransmitting axial movement of said plunger to said valve couplingmeans, and means for transmitting rotational movement of said plunger tosaid valve member, whereby inward axial movement of said manual meanscauses said valve coupling means to open said valve when said valvecoupling means is retained in coupling relation with said valve member,and rotational movement of said manual means causes said valve member tobe released from said valve coupling means and permits it to move to theclosed position.

4. A gas controller according to claim 3 wherein said manual means has aradially oriented key axed thereto and said housing is provided with anaxial mating groove, said key and groove being so oriented as to permitaxial movement of said manual means only when properly orientedrotationally for causing said coupling member to engage said valvemember, and permitting rotational movement of said manual means onlywhen said manual means is in the extreme outward position.

5. A gas controller according to claim 3 wherein said valve couplingmeans is notched at its valve-engaging end to form a catch, and theretaining means of said valve comprises a radially resilient stopadapted to engage said catch, the notched portion of the valve-engagingend of said valve coupling means being arranged to displace said stopradially outward to release said catch when said valve is rotated to therelease position.

6. A gas controller according to claim 3 wherein said valve couplingmeans is notched at its valve-engaging end to form a catch, and saidvalve member retaining means comprises an axial protuberance having aslot provided therein and a hairpin-like spreading spring mounted onsaid slot and yadapted to engage said catch, the notched portion of thevalve-engaging end of said valve .coupling means being arranged todisplace said spreading spring radially outward to release said catchwhen said valve member is rotated to the release position.

7. A manually operable gas controller for gas heaters comprising ahousing having an inlet and ian outlet and a ow passage connectedtherebetween, a main gas valve assembly comprised of a valve seat and amovable valve member including a valve head and a tubular valve stemhaving an axial channel spring-loaded toward closed position positionedin .the flow passage between the inlet and the outlet, a thermoelectricsafety device including an electromagnet and anarmature mounted in saidhousing, a valve coupling means affixed at one end to said armature andbeing adapted at its other end to engage said valve member, said valvecoupling means being movable axially but fixed rotatively with respectto said housing, said valve member having retaining means to engage saidvalve coupling means when said valve member is in one rotative positionand to release said valve coupling means when said valve member is in adiierent rotative position, manualvalve operating means including aplunger mounted in said housing, said plunger having a radially orientedkey affixed to the surface thereof and said vaive stem having a matingaxially oriented groove in the axial channel thereof for receiving saidplunger key and permitting said plunger to travel axially with respectto said valve member but restraining rotational movement therebetween,and means for transmitting axial movement of said plunger to said valvecoupling means, whereby inward axial movement of said manual meanscauses said valve coupling means to open said valve when said valvecoupling means is retained in coupling relation with said valve member,and rotational movement of said manual means causes said valve member tobe released from said valve coupling means and permits it to move to theclosed position.

8. A manually operable gas controller for gas heaters comprising ahousing having an inlet, a rst outlet, a second outlet, and a iiowpassage connected between said inlet and both said outlets, a rst gasvalve assembly comprised ot' a valve seat and a movable valve memberspring-loaded toward closed position positioned in the flow passagebetween the inlet and the first outlet, a thermoelectric safety deviceincluding an electromagnet and an armature mounted in said housing, avalve coupling means aiiixed at one end to said armature and beingadapted at its other end to engage said Valve member, said valve memberhaving retaining means to operatively engage said valve coupling meanswhen said valve member is in one rotative position and to release saidvalve coupling means when said valve member is in a diierent rotativeposition, manual valve operating means mounted in said housing movablewith respect thereto, means for transmitting movement of said manualvalve operating means to said valve coupling means, manual means forrotating said valve member, and a second gas valve assembly comprised ofa valve seat and a movable valve member spring loaded toward closedposition positioned in the iiow passage between the rst outlet and thesecond outlet, said valve member having an axial channel in which saidmanual valve operating means is movably positioned, said manual valveoperating means being arranged to engage movably said second valveassembly when said manual means is retracted, whereby inward axialmovement of said manual valve operating means causes said valve couplingmeans to open said first valve member when said valve coupling means isretained in coupled relation therewith, rotation of said manual valveoperating means causes said rst valve member to be released .from saidvalve coupling means and permits it to move to the closed position, andwhereby axial retraction of said manual valve operating means moves saidsecond valve member to the open position.

9. A manually operable gas controller for a gas heater comprising ahousing having an inlet, a first outlet, a second outlet, and a iiowpassage connected between said inlet and both said outlets, a first gasvalve assembly comprised of a valve seat and a movable valve memberincluding a valve head and a ltubular valve stem having an axial channelspring-loaded toward closed position positioned in the ow passagebetween the inlet and the first outlet, a thermoelectric safety deviceincluding an electromagnet and an armature mounted in said housing, avalve coupling means aixed at one end to said armature and being adaptedat its other end to engage said valve member, said valve coupling meansbeing movable axially but fixed rotatively with respect to said housing,said valve member having retaining means to engage said valve couplingmeans when said valve member is in one rotative position and to releasesaid valve coupling means when said valve member is in a diierentrotative position, manual valve operating means including a plungermounted in said housing, said plunger having a radially oriented keyaxed to the surface thereof and said valve stem having a mating axiallyoriented groove in the axial channel thereof receiving said plunger keyand permitting said plunger to travel axially with respect to said valvemember but restraining rotational movement therebetween, means fortransmitting axial movement of said plunger to said valve couplingmeans, and a second gas valve assembly comprised of a valve seat and amovable valve member spring loaded toward closed position positioned inthe flow passage between the first outlet and the second outlet, saidvalve member having an axial channel in which said plunger is movablypositioned, said plunger being so arranged that the radially orientedkey thereof movably engages said second valve member when said plungeris retracted axially, whereby inward axial. movement of said plungercauses said valve coupling means to open said first valve member whensaid valve coupling means is retained in coupled relation therewith,`whereby rotation of said plunger causes said first valve member to bereleased from said valve coupling means and permits it to move to theclosed position, and whereby axial retraction of said plunger moves saidsecond valve member to the open position.

10. A manually operable gas controller for a gas heater comprising ahousing having an inlet, a first outlet, a second outlet, and a owpassage connected between said inlet and both said outlets, a rst gasvalve assembly comprised of a valve seat and a movable valve memberincluding a valve head and a tubular valve stem having an axial channelspring-loaded toward closed position positioned in the flow passagebetween the inlet and the first outlet, a thermoelectric safety deviceincluding an electromagnet and an armature mounted in said housing, avalve coupling means aflixed at one end to said armature and beingnotched at its valve-engaging end to form a catch, said valve couplingmeans being movable axially but xed rotatively with respect to saidhousing, said valve member having an axial protuberance with a slotprovided therein and a hairpin-like spreading spring mounted on saidslot and adapted to engage said catch, the notched portion of said valvecoupling means being arranged to displace said spreading spring radiallyoutward to release said catch when said lvalve member is rotated to therelease position, manual valve operating means including a plungermounted in said housing, said plunger having a radially oriented keyaihxed to the surface thereof and said valve stem having a matingaxially oriented groove in the axial channel thereof receiving saidplunger key and permitting said plunger to travel axially with respectto said valve member but restraining rotational movement therebetween,means vfor transmitting axial movement of said plunger to said valvecoupling means, and a second gas valve assembly comprised of a valveseat and a movable valve member spring loaded toward closed positionpositioned in the iiow passage between the first outlet and the secondoutlet, said valve member having an axial channel in which said plungeris movably positioned, said plunger being so arranged that the radiallyoriented key thereof movably engages said second valve member when saidplunger is retracted axially, whereby inward axial movement of saidplunger causes said valve coupling means to open said first valve memberwhen said valve coupling means is retained in coupled relationtherewith, whereby rotation of said plunger causes said `first valvememier to be released from said valve coupling means and permits it tomove to the closed position, and whereby axial retraction of saidplunger moves said second valve member to the open position.

No references cited.

